friendship wrote:Finally got to kick out my shitty roommate today. This also belongs on the aggravation thread because it was a spectacularly awkward and acidic confrontation but at least I'm one step closer to her getting the fuck out of my life.

My girlfriend and I moved into our new house, and we didn't even fight! The basement is huge and already full of my fuzz pedals. It had a wood shop area so I can continue my quest for building my first electric guitar from scratch. Things are looking up

Good shit So this is another great story for this thread. I was married for 10 years, with the woman for 15.. she peaced me out to cheat with someone else, and the told me I had to move out. I slept in my sons racecar bed and then moved out. I was entering my senior year of college for a BS in mechanical engineering so I moved into my dad's basement. Fuuuuuuuu. But anyway it worked out. I graduated, I work for a power utility doing dam improvement projects, and my girlfriend whom I have now been with for over a year is awesome. We moved into a nice little house in Spokane Washington, where I was born and raised. I'm happy to be alive

I got my kid full time starting yesterday! Well, full time besides when he stays with his grandma or one of the 5-6 girls who have offered to babysit for me.

Just dropped him off at school, and I'm enjoying being up this early. Having my 3 favorite drugs to celebrate (nicotine, caffeine, and THC - the holy Trinity).

And now, to complete the stereotype, I'm going to apply for some government benefits. Food stamps? Yes please! Childcare vouchers? Don't mind if I do! Housing assistance would be sweet as shit too.

I just don't wanna have to flip gear to survive, especially since I need the gear to play in my band.

Also, on the topic of band stuff, my songwriting and playing in general has improved by leaps and bounds lately. Went from having 3 songs that I felt okay about to having 5 songs that I love, and 3 or 4 more in various stages of completion. And I'm running the most minimal setup of my life. The GAS is always there, though. Just waiting and plotting.

My kid started kindergarten last week. It's crazy, this is the 4th time I've dropped him off and it already feels normal.

It really helps that he's happy about going. He hasn't been grumpy a single time yet. I really want that to last as long as possible, for his sake and mine. I loved school until I just suddenly didn't anymore. Actually, it was when I moved from Arizona to Georgia and ended up in some bumfuck school system.

Unfortunately I start work before he starts school, so I'm not able to see him off. We share one car though, so he comes along to drop me off to work. I also got to talk to him about it a lot over the last week. I talked to him about last night while tucking him in and this morning when he woke up. He's been generally very excited, although he started pitching a fit and saying he didn't want to leave when it was time to go this morning. Which is not unusual, that's just almost anytime we get in the car to go anywhere. My wife posted an update on FB just now about dropping him off and her trying not to cry and she asked him if he wanted a hug and a kiss and he said "No, see you later mommy!" and ran off to explore his school room. I'm lucky that I've had a lot of time with my kids, I've been away from the oldest maybe 3 or 4 days in his life and never with our baby. Him going off to school doesn't effect MY day that much, I don't see him all day anyway, but my wife hasn't worked since he was born and this will be the first time she's had extended time away from him, for better or worse.

So yeah, lots of mixed emotions, but I'm glad that he's going to experience a lot of new things and types of people. I didn't like school very much, but my parents also weren't very involved or encouraging, so hopefully he'll have more positive experiences.

The last couple of days have been a real improvement. My wife no longer wants to leave the facility she is at and will stay the duration. We talk on the phone every night and it is really positive. I'm getting used to taking care of the dogs and cats and myself on top of working.

Three years ago, when I lived with my dad during the divorce, he and I found a Sound-Craft Lecternette. It is an amplifier for public speakers. The top is held on by two clasps. Opening them reveals a lectern with a microphone stand and a light fixture, volume, bass, and treble knobs, and on/off switches for the various inputs and a master power. There are 3 phono/microphone inputs and a quarter inch input. The speakers are a pair of vintage Jensen 6" with square magnets. It is solid state, with huge transformers. The volume isn't overwhelming, but it compresses and sags easily without a boost pedal. It is a nice clean sound and it only cost me $4. He brought it down from New York, so I have an amp again. I can finally start playing again. I need music in my life. Maybe I can start reviewing pedals again? I hope so.